CME Group Announces Winners Of The 21st Annual University Trading Challenge

• Indiana University took first place, with the rest of the top five from outside the United States
• Record participation from nearly 570 teams across 24 countries 

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced the winners of its 21th annual University Trading Challenge, led by Indiana University.

This year's four-week competition reached a new participation record, including nearly 570 teams of nearly 2,300 students from 24 countries. Participants represented 180 universities around the world.

Students learned hands-on techniques for trading agriculture, energy, metals, equity indices, interest rates and foreign exchange futures contracts using CQG's real-time simulated electronic trading platform. Throughout the challenge, students also received live market updates through Dow Jones newsfeeds and The Hightower Report.

"We are extremely pleased to have had a record number of schools from around the world compete in this year's University Trading Challenge and congratulate all the winners," said Anita Liskey, CME Group Senior Managing Director of Global Brand Marketing and Communications. "For more than two decades, CME Group has been introducing new generations to futures markets through this immersive, hands-on and fun trading experience." 

"Congratulations to all of the winners and participants in this year's University Trading Challenge," said  Pat Kenny, SVP of Client Relations at CQG. "CQG remains committed to educating the next generation of derivatives traders. The competition offers students the unique opportunity to make trading decisions based on real-time CME Group data, CQG's analytics, commentary and real-time news feeds from Dow Jones, and executed with CQG's premier trade routing technology."

Students on the top five winning teams receive cash prizes, if eligible, and all participants from this year's trading challenge are invited to attend an exclusive one-day, in-person market education event on December 9.

CME Group provides a wide range of risk management education, including its CME Institute education hub, which offers detailed courses, webinars and videos on trading futures on options markets, as well as a trading simulator.

CME Group also partners with other industry organizations to offer educational tools, such as Futures Fundamentals, a one-stop educational resource to help learners of all levels understand futures markets and the role they play in everyday life.